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Mermaids
Mermaids are a humanoid species featured on ABC's Once Upon a Time. They are native to the Enchanted Forest, Neverland, and the Wish Realm, and first appear in the first episode of the third season. Mermaids are based on the species of the same name from the story Peter and Wendy, and the Disney film Peter Pan. They are also based on the species of the same name from the fairytale "The Little Mermaid" and the Disney film of the same name. Biology and Culture Mermaids are aquatic creatures with the head and upper body of a human and the tail of a fish. They are able to breathe air while out of water. Mermaids are known for their hypnotic, powerful singing voice, which can lure ships to their death. Hook describes them as "the most dangerous creature in all the seas", and worse than a kraken. Every year when the high tide rises, the sea goddess Ursula grants merpeople the ability to walk on dry land with human legs, until the next tide occurs. Mermaids have the ability to cross worlds, and to open portals and bring objects from one world to another. In some occasions, they are able to take other people through their portals. They can be summoned by conch shells. Ursula, who was a mermaid before being transformed into a Cecaelia, is the daughter of Poseidon, who is a Deity; indicating that merpeople can interbreed with Deities. Little is known about Mermaid culture. According to Hook, mermaids can't be trusted because they are liars. Mr. Gold has also stated that mermaids can't be trusted. They stay in touch with each other beneath the sea by using conch shells. History A long time after, a mermaid named Ariel pulls a man, Prince Eric, to safety after he nearly drowns from a shipwreck. Despite falling in love at first sight, she leaves before he wakes up. A year later, Ariel hears of the upcoming the upcoming the Under the Sea Celebration in honor of the legendary sea goddess Ursula. She attends in the hopes of meeting Eric with the help of a myth, which states that at the rising the high tide until the next one occurs, merpeople have the ability to walk on dry land. After saving Snow White's life, Ariel and her new friend head to the party. At the Ball, Eric waltzes with Ariel and invites her to join him tomorrow for a traveling expedition. While she discusses the matter with Snow White, the Queen spies on them through a mirror. Upon discovering the mermaid desires to be with Eric, the Queen impersonates Ursula and tempts Ariel with a magic bracelet that will allow her to stay human. As a price, whoever wears the bracelet will take her place as a mermaid. In a misguided attempt to help Snow White escape the Queen, Ariel clasps the bracelet on her so the ex-princess can live under the sea. After learning of the deception, Ariel stabs the Queen in the neck and flees with Snow White. In mermaid form, Ariel swims to meet Eric at the castle balcony, but she is silenced due to her voice being stolen by the Queen, causing Eric to leave without noticing her there. At some point, Ariel finds a necklace that allows her to maintain both her voice and human legs as long as she is wearing it. She travels to Agrabah to find Eric, but while in the marketplace, she incurs the wrath of a vendor after she takes a fork from his stall without paying for it. Once the vendor catches up with her, he rips off her necklace as payment for what she took from him, causing her legs to revert to a mermaid fin. The sight of Ariel's tail frightens the man, who calls her a monster, which the Princess Jasmine overhears before paying for the stolen fork and telling him to get out of her sight. The man acquiesces by dropping the necklace and turning tail, to which Jasmine hands the necklace back to Ariel, who puts it back on to restore her voice and human legs. Upon hearing Jasmine needs help from an army to defeat the sorcerer Jafar, Ariel mentions Eric has a navy fleet that she could use. Together, they ride a flying carpet and Ariel eventually spots Eric's navy flag near a tent encampment. Ariel goes to Eric and admits to him that she is a mermaid, which Eric seems to take in stride until he reveals himself to be Jafar in disguise. As Jafar taunts Jasmine about her futile attempts to protect her kingdom from him, Ariel grabs a bottle of dust which she assumes is magical, but before she can give it to Jasmine, the sorcerer teleports her back to the sea. At another time, the Evil Queen goes to Rumplestiltskin's castle to discuss a deal with a particular mermaid. The conversation is cut off when Rumplestiltskin asks her to leave, to which she does. At some point in time, Alice and Cyrus go swimming with mermaids. }} Fed up with Emma's decision to investigate Pan's claims that Neal is alive, Regina separates herself from the group and runs into Mr. Gold in the jungle. After shaking some sense into him, they team up to fight against Pan. Mr. Gold mentions there might be a way to contain Pan, but alas, the weapon is back in Storybrooke. To find a way to retrieve the item, they go to the riverside where Regina uses a conch shell to summon the mermaid Ariel. As Ariel has the capability to swim between worlds, Regina wants her to go to Storybrooke and bring the weapon to them. To placate the mermaid, she returns Ariel's lost voice. Regina also promises if Ariel goes to Storybrooke, she will find Eric. Swimming into Storybrooke, Ariel gains Belle's assistance in finding Pandora's Box, which can help Mr. Gold defeat Pan. They are sidetracked by Pan's minions, John and Michael Darling, who attempt to destroy the box. Later, the two brothers admit they are only following Pan's orders because he is holding their sister, Wendy, prisoner. Belle convinces them that Mr. Gold is their only hope of saving Wendy, which they agree with. Ariel returns to Neverland to deliver the box where she begs Mr. Gold and Regina to rescue the Darlings' sister. Afterward, she returns to Storybrooke and reunites with Eric at the dock. }} }} }} }} In the Wish Realm, the mermaid Ariel befriends an old pirate named Hook, who becomes a drunkard after losing hope of reuniting with his daughter Alice. With Ariel's persuasion, Hook is able to pull himself out of it and resume his search for his daughter. }} }} Known Mermaids *Ariel *Ariel (Wish Realm) *The mermaid *Snow White *Ursula Trivia |-|Set Notes= Set Dressing *There is a merman's trident on display in Rumplestiltskin's castle.File:112QueenAboutToLeave.png *According to the poster in his Oz workroom, one of the freak show acts in the Wizard's circus is the Feejee mermaid.File:316LooksAtPoster.png The Feejee mermaid was an object comprising the torso and head of a juvenile monkey sewn to the back half of a fish. During the 1800s, it was a common feature of sideshows, where it was presented as a version of a mermaid. *On Lily's billboard, there is a photograph of a merman's trident.File:419ThanYouThink.png Costume Notes *The crowns worn by the mermaids in Neverland were made by Vancouver-based accessories designer Medicina Designs. The lead mermaid's crown was made with wood pieces hand-carved in Bali and a metal base, scalloped metal discs, real sea-shells, freshwater pearls, real crystals, semi-precious gemstones, and a starfish. Detachable strands of beads dangled from the sides of the crown to accent the mermaid's hair. An identical crown was created for the lead mermaid's stunt double. Three more crowns were created for the rest of the mermaids, but they do not show up on-screen. Appearances Note: "Archive" denotes archive footage. See also *Mermaid Magic References }} ---- Category:Creatures Category:Female Characters Category:Enchanted Forest Characters Category:Neverland Characters Category:Season Three Characters Category:Season Four Characters Category:Season Six Characters Category:Season Seven Characters Category:Once Upon a Time Characters Category:Wish Realm Characters Category:Elements with Wish Realm Versions Category:Magic Users